Variable air condenser and coupling means therefor



mi: WHWLQCK VARIABLE AIR CONDENSER AND COUPLING MEANS THEREFOR v iled April 28, 1925 2 sneemheew;

5am, C5 1927.

VARIABLE AIR CONDENSER AND- COUPLIG MEANS THEREFOR Filed Abril 28, 1925 2 Sheets-Shemll therefor,

provide a mechanism whereby 4the rotors of condensers may be adjusted in CII Patented Sept. 6, 1927.l

.a number of UNITED-STATE Jonn'w. wnrrnocn, or merrieA son, INDIANA.

. application inea april as, 1925. seriai No. Asaliera.

' rlhis invention relates to an' improved variable air condenser and coupling means and seeks, among other objects, to

unison for varying the capacity of all of said condenserssimultaneously while, lwhen desired, vthe rotor of each condenser may be adjusted independently.

The invention seeks, as a'further object, to provide a condenser wherein the rotor may be directl adjusted by means ofthe rotor shaft an wherein the rotor may also be minutely adjusted by means of a worm. And the inventionseeks, as a still further object, to provide a condenser wherein the rotor may be adj usted by its shaft independently of the worm and vice' versa, and Wherein the clutch spring employed in connection with the worm drivewill serve to hold the shaft against endwise movement and thus prevent variation in the capacity of the condenser from such cause. v

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings: j Figure 1 is a rear elevation showing a pair of the improved condensers coupled together.

Figure 2 is a top planview'of the condenser.. Y A 1 .Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the. line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in theI direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4; is a detail sectional -view on the line H -of Figure 1, looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows. i

In carrying the invention into edect, l :mploy a frame including front and rear end plates 10 and 11 rigidly connected by cross rods 12 insulated with respect `tosaid plates, and fixed on said rods is a plurality of spaced parallel stator plates 13,4the whole being held in assembled relation by nuts 14 .on

the rods. Fixed to the plates 10 and 1l 'are alined front and rear bearings 15 and 16 and journaled through said bearings is a rotor shaft 17 having a stop collar 18. Fixed on said shaft is a plurality of spaced parallel rotor plates v19 disposed to passbetween the plates 13 as the shaft is rotated, and screwed on the sha-ft is a nut 2O clamping the rotor plates between said nutv and the'collar '13. Screwed on the shaft to abut the inner'end of the bearing 16 [Viga nut 21 limiting the shaft against rearward endwise movementl but adjustablemltoweven to permit rearward lmovement of the shaft for centering the A plates 19 between the plates 13, and abutting l `the lnut.21 is a lock-nut 22.

Fixed to' the forward endl an operating knob 23 of suitable insulating material, which knob is provided with a sleeve 24 ittin over the shaft, and' freely accommodated Vy said sleeve is a cap screw 25 screwed into the shaft for detachablyconnecting the knob therewith. Thus, as will be seen, the knob 23 maybe turned for rotating the shaft and consequently adjustof the shaft is 60 ing the plates 19 with respect to the plates'v 13 to vary the capacity of the condenser.

\ .The shaft 17 is of"a length to project rearwardly beyond the bearing 16 and rotatably fitting the projecting end portion ofthe shaft is a worm gear 26 abutting the outer end of said bearing. Coacting with said gear is a spider-like clutch spring 27 having radialspring fingers which are curved lateri ally and bowedfupwardly neartheir ends-to frictionallybear against the rear face of the gear, and fixed to said spring is an axial hub 28 counterbored to fit over the shaft as well as tovform a flange 29 abutting the rear end face of the shaft. Extending freely 4through said flangel is a cap screw 30 screwed into the shaft fo'i` binding the hub thereon and connecting the spring and. shaft to turn inunison. As the screw 29 is tightcned the fingers of the` spring are flexed -I against the worm gear and are thus brought under tension toyieldably .bear against the gear. Accordingly, the sprin will exert a rearward strain on the rotor s aft for main* ,taining the nut 21 against the inner-endof thebearin 16 and holding theshaft against endwise 'ay to thus prevent Avariation inthe capacity of the condenser such as would, due to the change in the spacing between f the plates 13 and 19, otherwise occur from such cause.

Fixed to the rear end platefll of the posts3l and 32 which, as. shown'in detail in Figure 4, are securedl to the plate by nuts 33, and journaled through said posts is a worm shaft 34 to which is fixed a-worm 35 meshing with the worm gear 26. The vworm abuts the post 32 at one side thereof and formed on the shaft at its ends are re duced threaded studs 36 and 37. If the condenser Ais to be used singly,` a knob 38 is screwed on the stud 36 while a nut 39 is screwed on the stud 37 to abut vthe post-32 stator frame are alined rearwardly directed at the side thereof opposite the worm so that the worm and said nut will coact with the i post for limiting the shaft against endwise the shaft 34 of the condenser seen at the rightis an insulating sleeve 42 and screwed @through the Wall of the sleeve to impinge the shafts are set screws 43 connecting the shafts to turn in unison. A like sleeve 44 is fixed to the outer end of the shaft 34 of the condenser seen at the left and connects a shaft 45 with the former shaft. The shaft 45 projects beyond the adjacent end of the panel and carries a knob 46.

As will now be seen in view of the foregoing, the shaft 17 of either condenser may,

by means of its knob 23, be turned for directly and independently adjusting the rotor plates of said condenser. As will be better appreciated upon reference to Figure 3, when either rotor shaft is turned, the clutch spring 27 of the shaft will, since the gear 26 is locked against rotation by the worm 35,

ride over therear face of the` gear so that the rotor plates may be freely adjusted 'While the spring will serve to frictionally lock said plates in adjusted position. However, yby turning the'knob 46, the worms 35 of both condensers may be rotated to simultaneously turn the gears 26 of said condensers, when the clutch springs 27 will eoact with the gears for coupling the rotor shafts 17 therewith. Accordingly, the shafts of both condensers will be turned in unison to position the rotor plates so that the capacity of the condensers may thus be adjustably varied in unison by means of the single control knob 46. Furthermore, as will' be appreciated, the worm drive provides a means whereby the rotor plates may be minutely set.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

In apparatus of the characterl specified, the combination of a spindle, a bearing there-- for, a stop adjustable on the spindle and engaging a side of the said bearing, means for locking the said stop, a worm gear loose on the spindle and in frictional contact with the opposite side of the bearing, a pressure member rotatable with the spindle and yieldably holding the worm gear in frictional contact with the said bearing, and a Worm shaft in mesh with the `worm gear to coact therewith to prevent casual movement of the spindle and serve as operating means therefor when required.

JOHN W. WHITLOCK. s]

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. i 

